Hong Kong’s mask mandate for indoor and outdoor will be lifted on March 1, Chief Executive John Lee announced, marking the end of the financial hub’s final major Covid restriction for roughly three years as it strives to emerge from the pandemic.
The city was one of the last in the world to impose facial coverings in almost all public places, with anyone over the age of two forced to wear one or face a HK$10,000 fine.
In a brief news conference on Tuesday, Lee said, “I announce that the masking requirement will be completely canceled starting tomorrow, March 1,” which applies to “indoors,” “outdoors,” and “on public transit.”
Lee stated that mask regulations for healthcare facilities including nursing homes would be “added administratively.”
Macau, a neighboring Chinese territory, also recently eased its mask requirements on Monday, removing the precaution entirely from high-risk public venues like hospitals.
